Garbage disposal units



y 1965 A. c. HUDSON 3,183,050

GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNITS Filed Sept. 26, 1963 2 sheets-sheet 1,

FIG. I

INVENTOR I ARCHIE c. HUDSON IIBY'.

ATTORNEWY United States Patent 3,183,050 GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNITS Archie C. Hudson, 53 Hunt Ave., Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 311,702 11 Claims. (Cl. 312270) My invention generally relates to improvements in garbage disposal units and in particular to a garbage disposal unit for use in a kitchen or the like where it is highly desirable that it be maintained normally out of sight and in a concealed condition but readily available for convenient deposit of garbage With little effort on the part of the user. In modern household kitchens it is highly desirable that the disposal of garbage should be facilitated and the facility be hidden in order that it may not be aesthetically unpleasant. It is also desirable that the facility be readily accessible in order that it may be cleaned with a minimum of effort.

A salient object of my invention is to provide a builtin garbage receptacle which will not only meet the above requirements but which will also provide an odor-tight container in which the closure is automatically raised to open position as the container is projected from a storage compartment for receiving waste material and which is returned to a closed position as the container is retracted to its concealed position within the compartment.

My invention provides a garbage disposal unit of this kind which is adapted to be incorporated in the cabinet portion of a modern kitchen cabinet. A carriage serves to mount the receptacle and is supported upon a slide device for projectional movement through a framed opening in order to advance the receptacle to a fully exposed position exteriorly of the framed opening for the reception of waste material. Spring means functions to retract the carriage along with the receptacle and a door or panel serves to conceal the unit in its fully retracted position within the storage compartment. The framed opening is an aperture provided in the front wall portion of a cabinet.

A distinctive feature of my invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of the carriageactuating mechanism which is possessed of a minimum of moving parts and provides a smooth action in the projection of the carriage along with the receptacle. A distinctive feature of the actuating mechanism resides in the novel arrangement of a treadle which only need be depressed lightly in order to project the carriage and the receptacle supported thereon.

A further and important feature of my invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of the mechanism for automatically raising the lid of the receptacle as the latter is moved forwardly. The actuating mechanism for the lid is associated with the actuating mechanism for advancing the carriage bearing receptacle.

According to my invention there is provided an improved garbage disposal unit which in retracted position is entirely concealed from view and occupies a minimum of space. Moreover, it is of a sturdy construction which is inexpensive to manufacture and which may be installed with facility in the cabinet portion of a kitchen counter.

With these primary objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as exemplified in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of the ensuing specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment of my invention installed beneath the counter of a kitchen cabinet for projection through an opening in a portion of a front wall thereof and concealed by a panel closure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of my invention showing the kitchen cabinet in section; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 2 but showing the garbage receptacle projected for receiving waste material, the lid being depicted in fully raised position.

My invention is intended to be installed in an enclosure providing an accommodating compartment, such as that indicated at C, for projection through a framed opening to a position in which the garbage receptacle 5 is fully advanced for allowing the lid to swing upwardly of the mouth for deposit of waste material. I use the term framed opening to mean an opening provided in a vertical wall dimensioned to allow the free passage therethrough of the garbage receptacle along with the carriage. In the present disclosure, the framed opening is indicated at o and is an aperture supplied in front wall 7 of a regular kitchen cabinet having a counter 8, such a cabinet usually has a floor 9 spaced a few inches above the regular floor 10 of the kitchen. There is ordinarily a toe recess 11 defined by a riser plate 12.

Having briefly recounted the associated parts in conjunction with which my invention is used, the invention itself will now be recounted in detail. The receptacle or container 5 for receiving garbage or other waste material is of a conventional character and in the present instance is shown as of the rectangular shape having a base portion 13. The closure is a lid 14 hinged at 15 to the rear wall of the container body so that its frontal swinging edge may swing upwardly to a fully open position when the receptacle is bodily advanced in a fully projected position with regard to the front Wall 7 of the cabinet. Said lid will be of the kind which is adapted for sealing engagement with the mouth of the receptacle body so that escape of odors will be prohibited.

The receptacle is securely mounted upon the forward end of a carriage, generally denoted at 16, the base 13 being supplied with suitable fastening means, conventional in character, hereinafter more particularly described.

A closure 17 serves to normally close the opening 6 in the front wall 7 and this closure is secured either to the body of the receptacle 5 or to the carriage 16 or to both of these components. The panel is disposed immediately in front of the receptacle and is dimensioned to be a good fit in the opening 6 and preferably has rabbeted edges 18 mating with similar edges provided at the wall opening.

The carriage is comprised of spaced, parallel runners 19 rigid with the base portion 13 of the receptacle and joined together thereby, said runners being attached as by suitable fasteners, indicated at 20 in FIG. 1, or otherwise secured as may be found desirable according to dictates of manufacture. Said runners are inturned, channel-shaped members freely slidable upon anti-friction rollers 21 which project into the channel-portion thereof.

A slide device, generally indicated at 22, is disposed within the compartment C of the cabinet and supported upon the floor or platform 9. Said slide device functions to reciprocally support said runners 19 and 'constitutes a supporting structure therefor. This slide device comprises upstanding slide plates 23 each having longitudinally spaced lugs 24 .on which the rollers 21 are journalled as by pins 25. The rollers 21 are disposed outwardly of the slide plates and enable the runners to slide freely thereon. Said slide plates are rigidly supported upon the floor 9 and desirably said slide device is constructed as a longitudinal member of a U-shaped cross section providing a bottom plate 26 from which the slide plates upstand. Said bottom plate is secured to the floor 9 as by fastening elements (not shown), the Slide device may be otherwise constructed within the scope of the invention.

An actuating mechanism for effecting reciprocal movement of the carriage and the receptacle thereon is provided and comprises a pair of spaced, horizontal bars extending freely within the confines of said slide device. Said horizontal bars are designated at 27 and are rigidly joined together at their front ends by a cross bar 28 which serves for attachment of :a pendent treadle 29 having a foot plate 30. A filler plate 31 is attached to the treadle to fill and finish off the space immediately below the panel 17 and is movable with the treadle.

Pairs of links 32 are spaced along and between said horizontal bars. Said links have their lower ends fulcrumed at 33 on lugs 34 which lugs are rigid with the bottom plate 26 and enable corresponding links to swing in a plane parallel to the adjacent horizontal bar 27. Accordingly, the links cause the horizontal bars to jointly move with a parallel motion and the treadle serves to lower the horizontal bars. A forward pair of said links are shown as rigidly connected together by a shaft 35. Spaced levers 36 have lower ends rigidly secured to shaft 35 to form a bell crank with the attached links. Said levers extend in a general upward direction at the rear of said container and have their upper ends connected pivotally at 37 to parallel connecting rods 38. The connecting rods extend forwardly and are connected pivotally at 39 to the rear Wall of the container 5 near the top thereof. A helical tension spring 40 has one of its ends secured to the levers 36 and its other end secured at 41 to the bottom wall 26 of the slide device so as to exert a rearward pull on the levers for retraction movement thereof.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that the spring acting on the levers 36 functions to retain the carriage in a normally retracted position in which the container is concealed and the panel 17 is in closed position with respect to the opening 6. When a user desires to deposit waste material in the container the treadle is depressed by foot pressure on the foot-plate portion 30 which extends horizontally. This lowers the horizontal bars with a parallel motion due to the action of the links 32 and thereby swings the levers 36 forwardly and cause the connecting rods 38 to push on the container. In the result the carriage is moved forwardly on the slide device and projects the container along with the panel to an accessible position for the opening of the lid 14. On release of the treadle the spring acts to return the carriage along with the container and the panel 17.

A mechanical device is provided to automatically raise the lid as the container is projected through the framed opening. Said mechanical device comprises a hinged plate 42 rigidly secured to said lid and projecting rearwardly thereof and removed from the hinge of the lid. An actuator bar 43 is hingedly connected to said hinge plate 42 and has a pivotal connection at 44 with levers 36 intermediate of their length. The actuator bar extends downwardly and rearwardly to make the connection with the levers 36 and, in consequence of which, as the levers swing forwardly in a projecting movement of the container they exert a pulling effect on the actuator bar 43 as the container moves forwardly. In consequence the lid is gradually raised to fully open position as the container reaches a completely advanced position exteriorly of the front wall 7 of the cabinet, as shown in FIG. 3. The raising movement of the lid is entirely automatic and the lowering of the lid is accomplished automatically in the return movement of the carriage. The operational movement is smooth and the mechanism is reliable and serviceable in its action. It requires little effort on the part of the user and, when the panel 17 is in closed position, the container for the carriage and the slide device are entirely concealed from view.

The selected embodiment of the invention above described affords a highly serviceable and reliable garbage disposal unit for concealed installation in a kitchen cabinet and one that is economical to manufacture. It may, of

course, be used in any other type of cabinet and, as a matter of fact, in any wall opening having a compartment capable of accommodating the disposal unit. It will he understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A garbage disposal unit adapted for concealed installation in a kitchen cabinet or the like having a framed opening, said unit comprising a carriage having at least one longitudinally extending runner, a container fixedly mounted on said carriage for projection through said framed opening, a slide device disposed within said cabinet and suspending said runner for reciprocal movement along with said container, an actuating mechanism for effecting at least a forward stroke of reciprocal movement, said actuating mechanism including a horizontal bar, supporting means sustaining said horizontal bar for depressional movement with a parallel motion, a treadle connected to said horizontal bar for effecting said depressional movement thereof, a lever having a fulcrumed lower end connected to said supporting means and adapted to be swung forwardly by depressional movement of said horizontal bar, said lever having an upper end connected to said container for imparting a projecting movement thereto as it is swung forwardly.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said supporting means includes a link fulcrumed on a relatively fixed support and connected at its fulcrumed portion to the fulcrumed portion of said lever whereby said link and said lever are caused to move as a unit.

3. A garbage disposal unit adapted for concealed installation in a kitchen cabinet or the like having a framed opening, said unit comprising a carriage having at least one longitudinally extending runner, a container fixedly mounted on said carriage for projection through said framed opening, a slide device disposed within said cabinet and suspending said runner for reciprocal movement along with said container, an actuating mechanism for effecting at least a forward stroke of said reciprocal movement, said actuating mechanism including a horizontal bar supported by spaced links for depressional movement and extending parallel to said runner, said links each having a fulcrum axis, a treadle connected to said bar for effecting depressional movement thereof, a lever having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end rigid with at least one of said links at the fulcrum axis thereof and extending in a general upward direction at the rear of said container, and a connecting rod pivoted to said upper end of said lever and also pivoted to said container.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein a closure is provided for said framed opening and wherein means is provided for moving said closure between closed and open positions, said means adapted to be actuated by movement of said container.

5. The structure of claim 4, said closure comprising a panel carried by said container at the frontal side thereof.

6. The structure of claim 5, said panel disposed to close said framed opening as said container returns from a projected movement, and said treadle disposed transversely below said panel and protruding outwardly thereof when the panel is in fully closed position.

7. The structure of claim 3, wherein said treadle is rigidly secured to said horizontal bar and disposed below said framed opening.

8. The structure of claim 3, wherein said container includes a lid hingedly attached at the rear thereof, and wherein an actuator bar has a lower end pivoted to an intermediate portion of said lever and has an upper end likewise connected to an element rearwardly projecting from said lid.

9. The structure of claim 3, in which a lid is hingedly attached to said container at the rear thereof, and in which a mechanical device is provided to automatically raise the lid as the container is projected through said framed opening, said mechanical device comprising a hinge plate rigidly secured to said lid and projecting rearwardly thereof, and an actuator bar hinged to said hinge plate and having a connection with said lever such as to effectively translate movement thereof into an operational movement of said lid.

10. A garbage disposal unit adapted for concealed installation in a kitchen cabinet or the like having a framed opening, said unit comprising a pair of spaced, parallel runners forming a carriage which is aligned with said framed opening for passage therethrough, said runners consisting of inturned channel members, a container fixedly mounted on said runners for projection through said framed opening, a supporting structure, a slide device fixed on said supporting structure, said slide device including a longitudinal member of a U-chaped cross section providing a bottom plate and upstanding slide plates, said slide plates being disposed between said runners, rollers journalled on said slide plates and having supporting engagement in the channels of said runners; an actuating mechanism for elfecting reciprocal movement of said runners and said container thereon, said actuating mechanism including a pair of spaced horizontal bars extending freely within the confines of said slide device, pairs of links spaced along and between said horizontal bars, said links having lower ends fulcrumed on said bottom plate and having upper ends pivoted to said horizontal bars, a lever having an upper end and a lower end, said lever having its lower end rigid with a pair of said links at the fulcrum axis thereof and extending in a general upward direction at the rear of said container, a connecting rod pivoted to said upper end of said lever and also pivoted to said container, and a treadle rigid with said horizontal bars.

11. A garbage disposal unit adapted for concealed installation in a kitchen cabinet or the like having a framed opening, said unit comprising a pair of spaced, parallel runners forming a carriage which is aligned with said framed opening for passage therethrough, said runners consisting of inturned channel members, a container fixedly mounted on said runners for projection through said framed opening, a supporting structure, a slide device fixed on said supporting structure, said slide device including a pair of slide plates rigidly mounted upon said supporting structure and upstanding therefrom, said slide plates disposed between said runners, rollers journalled on said slide plates and having supporting engagement in the channels of said runners, an actuating mechanism for effecting reciprocal movement of said runners and said container thereon, said actuating mechanism including a pair of spaced, horizontal bars extending freely within the confines of said slide plates, pairs of links spaced along and between said horizontal bars, said links having lower ends fulcrumed on said supporting structure and having upper ends pivoted to said horizontal bars, a lever having an upper end and a lower end, said lever having its lower end rigid with a pair of said links at the fulcrum axis thereof and extending in a general upward direction at the rear of said container, a connecting rod pivoted to said upper end of said lever and also pivoted to said container, and a treadle rigid with said horizontal bars.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,288,447 6/42 Goldberg 248-129 2,699,368 1/55 Selmer 312-273 X 2,813,771 11/57 Selmer 312319 X 2,837,395 6/58 Carani 312-274 2,841,458 7/58 Selmer 3l2-270 2,934,390 4/60 Wright 3123l9 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

1. A GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT ADAPTED FOR CONCEALED INSTALLATION IN A KITCHEN CABINET OR THE LIKE HAVING A FRAMED OPENING, SAID UNIT COMPRISING A CARRIAGE HAVING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDIALLY EXTENDING RUNNER, A CONTAINER FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR PORJECTION THROUGH SAID FRAMED OPENING, A SLIDE DEVICE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CABINET AND SUSPENDING SAID RUNNER FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT ALONG WITH SAID CONTAINER, AN ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR EFFECTING AT LEAST A FORWARD STROKE OF RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT, AND ACTUATING MECHANISM INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL BAR, SUPPORTING MEANS SUSTAINING SAID HORIZONTAL BAR FOR DEPRESSIONAL MOVEMENT WITH A PARALLEL MOTION, A TREADLE CONNECTED TO SAID HORIZONTAL BAR FOR EFFECTING SAID DEPRESSIONAL MOVEMENT THEREOF, A LEVER HAVING A FULCRUMED LOWER END CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO BE SWUNG FORWARDLY BY DEPRESSIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID HORIZONTAL BAR, SAID LEVER HAVING AN UPPER END CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER FOR IMPARTING A PROJECTING MOVEMENT THERETO AS IT IS SWUNG FORWARDLY. 